Sheet-separating machine



June 23, 1925.

J. E. WOODBURY SHEET 'SEPARATING imcmug Filed sept.

5 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 23, 192 5 J. E. WOODBURY SHEET SEPARATING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Sept. 4,, 1920 Patented June 23, 1925.

PATENT OFFICE.

JOHNVE. woonB nY, or WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

SHEET-SEPARATING MACHINE.

- Application filed September 4, 1920. Serial No. 408,175.

To all w'lwm it may concern: Be it known that I, JOHN a citizen of the United States, residing at lVorcester, in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Sheet-Separating Machine, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a machine for separating sheets from a pile and advancing them one at a time to a device for feeding them into a press or for carrying them forward for any desired purpose. 7

The principal objects ofthe invention are to provide a sheet separator which, without much attention, will act uniformlyand constantly to separate the sheets and can be depended upon to deliver a sheet upon each operation of the mechanism; to provide an improved mechanism for operating a suction nozzle by which the bottom sheet is separated and its end pulled down, including valve controlling means for the suction de vice; to provide for effectively preventing two sheets from being fed forward together; to provide certain co-operation between a sheet holder and the primary separating device above mentioned so as to' secure the result of separating one sheet at each operation and facilitate the commencement of its forward motion; and to provide improvements in the details of construction and combinations of parts for accomplishing these several results.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation of'a machine built in accordance with this invention, but with parts omitted.

Fig. 2 is a plan of the same.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the Sheet holding box and connected parts.

Fig. 4 is a sectional View on the'line 44:

of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of certain details.

Fig. 6 is a sectional View on the line 66 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 7 is a I sectional view on enlarged scale showing the commencement of the operation. v v

Fig. 8 is a Similar view showing the com pletion of the first step of the operation and the separation of the front edge-of the lower sheet.

Fig. 9 1s a similarview showing'substantially the completion of the separating operation.

E. WOODBURY,

The invention is illustrated in a form suitable for feeding letter headsandthe like. In that form it comprises a main frame 10 provided at the top with two longitudinal fiat tracks 11, constituting the upper mem-.

bers of said frame and located at its extreme sides. These two tracks are smooth on the top and support in sliding position thereon a tray 12, which constitutes a holder for the pile of sheetsto be separated. This tray is shown as of a definite sizefor a specific purpose, but of course its effective size can be modifiedin any of the ways well known in this art for sheets of different sizes, or if desired a tray of a different size can be substituted in case of change in the sheets to be operated upon.e This tray is open at the top and bottom. The sheets rest ontwo smooth metal plates 13 located under it and constituting a stationary bottom for the sliding tray.

This tray is operated from a-shaft 29 which has a Sprocket wheel, not shown, driving a chain 16 and a sprocket wheel 17 on a shaft 18. This shaft 18 is provided with an arm 19 which by means of a link 20 oscillates an arm 21 and therefore shaft 22 on which it is fixed. This shaft is provided with arms 23 connected by links 24 with the tray 12. It will be seen thatthe rotation of the shaft 18 causes the tray to reciprocate as indicated in full and dotted lines in Fig. 3..

On the driving shaft 15 a gear orpinion 27 driving a gear 28 on a shaft 29,,

with, a lever 34. This lever is provided with a piston rod '35 operating apiston 36 in an air cylinder 37 pivoted on a fixed rod 38. During half of the revolution of the shaft 29 the piston 36 willbe exhausting air from the cylinder and thus producing suction; The cylinder 37 is connected by plpe 39 with a valve casing 40. This valve casing is operated by a cam46 on the shaft 18.

The cam operates against a roll 17 on an arm 49, which by bracket 50 is pivoted to a 'rod 51 connected to the valve 45. The suction nozzle 43 is mounted in a metal tubular member 53, which is pivoted at 58 to the arm 54 pivotally mounted on a stud 55. The arm 54 is provided with a laterally extending bracket 54 in the free extremity of which is journaled a friction roller 56 adapted to be engaged by a cam 57 upon the oscillating shaft 22. This cam holds the suction nozzle up in operative position at certain times and then oscillates back in the direction of the arrow from its extreme position shown in Fig. 6. This motion lets the suction nozzle move down.

As it moves, it is adapted to swing about the stud 58 by which it is connected with the arm 54. This is brought about by a projection 60 on the tray 12 coming into contact with the end of the lever 61 which at the other end is connected by a link 62 with the lower part of the metallic tubular member 53.

On the shaft 18 there is located a second sprocket wheel 65 connected by a chain 66 with a sprocket wheel on shaft 67,

which latter drives, through pinions 68 and 69, a countershaft 7 0. The 'countershaft carries feeding rolls-71 located in position to receive the end of the sheet when it is pulled down. Each of these feeding rolls has resting uponit a frictionally driven feeding roll 72 carried by a shaft 76 which is mounted between arms 73 pivoted on studs 74 on the frame. A spring 75 holds the rolls 72 down in operative position.

Located in the plane of the supporting plates 13, but separated from them, is a sheet metal support for receiving the forward ends of the sheets when the tray 12 moves forward. The end of this plate is bent down at 81 for the purpose of easily receiving and supporting the forward end of the pile after the first sheet is separated from it. A guide 82 is shown also located in fixed position for keeping the forward edge of the separated sheet in a position to pass between the rolls 72 and 71.

The plate 80 is flexible and is adapted to be adjusted slightly up and down to providefor using the machine on different grades of paper. The adjusting means shown is a rod 84 having an upper end 85 engaging beneath the plate 80, which latter is inclined slightly downward. This rod is adapted to be adjusted back and forth thereby raising and lowering the edge 81. It is held in adjusted position by adjusting nuts 86. r

In the operation ofthe device as shown herein, the pile of sheets to be separated is placed in the tray; It rests as stated on the plates 13. When starting the machine the piston 36 is drawn forwardly, thus creating suction, and the tray 12 is in the position shown in Fig. 7. At this time also, the; cam 57 has reached the position shown in Fig. 6 to lift the suction nozzle 43 vertically into contact with the forward end of the bottom sheet. At this time the projection 60 still engages the lever 61 and rigidly holds the hollow member 53 and nozzle 43 in the position shown in Figs. 6 and 7. At this time the valve 45 opens the port 41 and connects the nozzle 43 with the suction cy inder 37. At the beginning of the operation when the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 7, the upper sheet engaging face of the nozzle 43 is in a substantially horizontal plane and parallel with the under surface of the pile of sheets with the contacting face of the nozzle in engagement with the bottom sheet. 7.

As the tray is moved forward the pro-' jection 60 is moved away fromwthe lever 61 allowing the heavy lower end of thelatter to swing downwardly by gravity and through the link 62 pull the lower end of the tubular suction head 53 rearwardly and thus tilt the nozzle to the position shown in Fig. 8, whereby upon further forward movement of the'tray the lower or bottom sheet will be removed from the stack or pile and placed in a position to enter beneath the end 81 and come into Contact with the guide 82. After the forward end of the sheet has been properly positioned beneath the plate 80 and in cont-act with the guide 82, the valve 45 is moved to the position shown in Fig. 4.

whereby the suction produced in the cyl inder 37 is cut off from the nozzle 43 and the sheet thereby freed from its influence is readily guided by the member 82 between the feed rollers 71 and 7:2 by the continued forward movement of the tray. 'Durirg' this operation the arm 54 is dropped to its lowermost position as indicated in Fig. 9.'

The tray12 now starts back and carries the rest of the pile of sheets back while the feedingrolls 71 and 72 push the bottom sheet forward onto the tapes 31. The men:- ber 53 remains in the position shown in Fig. 9 until the tray gets back far enough for the projection 60 to engage the lever 61. Just before that action, the cam 57 moves back and raises the nozzle. It is kept in vertical position by the connections 61 and62 and the operation is repeated.

In this way it will be seen that I have provided against many contingencies that art without departing from the scope of the invention as expressed in the claims.

Therefore, I do not wish to be limited to all the details of construction herein shown and described, but what I do claim is 2- 1. In a sheet separating device, the combination of a reciprocatable holder for apile of sheets, a support for the rear end of said pile, a support for the forward end of the pile spaced from the rear support and having a downwardly projecting separating edge located in position to engage the sheets only after the holder-has started to move forward, and pneumatic means for drawing the forward end of the bottom sheet downwardly while passing over said space said pneumatic means being oscillatable in the arcs of independent circles.

2. In a sheet separating device, the combination of a reciprocatable holder for apile of sheets, stationary means for supporting the rear ends of said sheets, a stationary support for the forward ends of the sheets spaced from the rear support, a suction nozzle for drawing the forward end of the bottom sheet downwardly while passing over said space, means for raising and lowering the suction nozzle, and means for tilting it.

3. In a sheet separating device, the combination of a holder for a pile of sheets having an open bottom, a stationary support for the rear ends of the sheets, a stationary support for the forward ends of the pile of sheets having an operative edge spaced from the rear support, a suction nozzle, and means for positively moving said nozzle upwardly through said space and then downwardly to engage the forward end of the bottom sheet and draw it down past said edge, the suction nozzle being pivoted to swing freely when it is moving down, whereby it will remain for a time in contact with the sheet after the latter has moved into an angular position with respect to that which it originally occupied.

4. In a sheet separating device, the combination of a movable holder for a pile of sheets having an open bottom, a stationary support to the rear ends of said sheets, a stationary support for the forward ends of the pile of sheets, a freely pivoted suction nozzle, means for moving said nozzle upwardly into said space to engage the forward end of the bottom sheet and then downwardly to draw it down past said forward support, and means whereby when the holder is in its r armost position the nozzle will be held against tilting and located in a vertical position in said space.

5. In a sheet separating device, the combination of a movable holder for a pile of sheets, a freely pivoted suction nozzle,

means for moving said nozzle upwardly and then downwardly to engage the forward end of the bottom sheet and draw it down, and means whereby when the holder is back the nozzle will be held against tilting.

6; In a sheet separating device, the combination with a reciprocatable holder for a pile of sheets of a pivoted suction nozzle for drawing the forward end of the bottom sheet downwardly, a projection on said holder, a lever in position to be .engaged by said projection when the holder moves back to extreme position, and means connected with said lever for swinging said suction nozzle on its pivot to operative position and holding it there until the movement of the holder withdraws the projection from contact with said lever.

7 In a sheet separating device, the combinationwith a reciprocatable holder for a pile of sheets, of stationary means for separating the rear ends of said sheets, a stationary support for the forward ends of the sheets spaced from the rear support and having a separating edge located in position to engage the sheets only after the holder has started to move forward, a pivoted suction nozzle for drawing the forward end of the bottom sheet downwardly while passing over said space, a projection on said holder, a lever in position to be engaged by said projection when the holder moves back to extreme position, and means connected with said lever for swinging said suction nozzle on its pivot to a vertical operativeposition and holding it there until the movement of the holder withdraws the projection from contact with said lever.

8. In a sheet separating device, the combination with a reciprocatable holder for a pile of sheets, said holder having a projection, of a lever in position to be engaged by said projection when the holder moves back to extreme position, a pivoted suction nozzle for engaging the bottom sheet, means connected with said lever for swinging said suction nozzle on its pivot to a vertical position and holding it there until the movement of the holder withdraws the projection from contact with said lever, and positive means for forcing the suction nozzle up through said space into contact with the bottom sheet.

9. In a sheet separating device, the combination with a reciprooatab-le frame for holding a pile of sheets having an open bottom, of a support for the bottoms of. said sheets beyond which the frame is adapted to move in its reciprocation, vertically reciprocating means beyond said support for engaging the bottom of the lower sheet and pulling it down, and means for positively engaging the projecting end of the lower sheet and pulling it from the pile as the frame moves back.

10. In a sheet separating device, the combination of a reciprocatable frame for moving a pile of sheets back and forth, a stationary bottom over which it moves, a ver tically reciprocating suction nozzle adapted to engage the bottom sheet beyond said stationary bottom, an air pump, connections between the air pump and nozzle comprising a valve, and means operating in time with the motion of said frame for opening said valve to connect the nozzle with the pump when it engages the bottom sheet.

11. In a sheet separating device, the combination of a reciproeatable frame for mov ing a pile of sheets back and forth, a stationary bottom over which it moves, a suction nozzle adapted to engage the bottom sheet beyond said stationary bottom, an air pump for exhausting air, connections between the air pump and nozzle comprising a valve, and means operating in time with said frame for opening said valve to connect the nozzle with the pump wuen it engages the bottom sheet and for closing said valve to disconnect the nozzle from the suction after the end of the sheet is pulled down, said nozzle being adapted tofall away from the sheet by gravity when the vacuum is broken-by lea! e.

12. In a shoe feeding machine means to reciprocate a pile of sheets, a SRCtlO11I10 ZZlQ engageable with the bottom of the pile,

means to withdraw the nozzle from the bot-- tom of the pile while suction is maintained, means to move the engaged end of the'nozzl'e forwardly as the pile is so moved, and means to'destroy the suction after the bottom. sheet has been separated from the pile.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature.

JOHN E. woonnnnr. 

